18/02/2013
“I am not sure what I expected of CERN. I had vague notions of high tech buildings with people speeding around on Segways like at Google. This was not exactly the case but I was very impressed all the same. The main site looks rather industrial from the outside, but inside the many buildings are all manner of advanced machines, computers and laboratory equipment. I also expected to be surrounded by Nobel laureates and Albert Einstein lookalikes. This is not entirely inaccurate, but last week my friend saw Carlo Rubbia who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his part in discovering the W and Z bosons.
The work environment is unusual in that it feels more like working for a university than a business organisation. Employees are given a great deal more freedom than in a typical workplace. The people are so passionate and talented that this freedom is not abused and lots of very impressive work gets done. Many of my colleagues are so knowledgeable and highly skilled that it was rather daunting to begin with. I began to wonder if I was up to the task of working here.
The LHC itself surpassed all expectations. I had seen pictures of the machine and the tunnel but to actually be inside the tunnel is a real experience. The tunnel is 27 km in circumference and it feels like it goes on forever. The first time I went down there I was so impressed with everything from the civil engineering of the actual tunnel to the electrical systems, monitoring systems, cryogenics and of course the superconducting magnets themselves. It really is an extraordinary place to work and I am very grateful to be here.”